The Waratahs stormed to a 14-0 lead early but had their buffer trimmed to seven points at the break and fell behind in the 49th minute after a Colin Slade penalty.

Foley and Slade traded penalty goals before Adam Ashley-Cooper scored his second try of the game in the 63rd minute to give the hosts a four-point lead.

With Dan Carter on the sidelines with an ankle injury suffered on the half-hour, Slade nailed penalty goals in the 68th and 76th minutes to give the seven-time champions a one-point lead.

But Foley had the final say when he slotted a 44m penalty with around 30 seconds left on the clock.

The Tahs were good enough to survive a frantic finish as Brendan McKibbin hoisted the ball into touch to spark wild celebrations in front of a record crowd for a Super Rugby fixture of 61,823.

The win snapped an 11-game losing streak against the Crusaders and avenged losses in the 2005 and 2008 Super Rugby finals in Christchurch.

Ashley-Cooper was a deserved man-of-the-match while Foley kicked seven penalties and a conversion from 10 attempts for a 23-point haul.

Carter nailed a sideline conversion before his night ended prematurely, while Slade kicked six penalties and a conversion from as many attempts, while Matt Todd and Nemani Nadolo scored the visitors' tries.

The Waratahs bolted out of the gates to lead 14-0 after just 15 minutes.

Foley slotted the first of his five penalty goals in the third minute before Ashley-Cooper charged over in the fifth minute after the Tahs swung the ball to both flanks.

Foley missed the conversion but nailed two more penalty goals to cap a dream start for the hosts.

The Crusaders hit back with a long-range try to Todd on 18 minutes, with Carter converting from the sideline to slash the deficit in half.

Foley slotted his fourth penalty goal almost immediately after another breakdown infringement from the visitors to restore the hosts' 10-point buffer.

Carter was sandwiched in a tackle by Michael Hooper and Tatafu Polota-Nau moments later and was left hobbling badly on his left ankle.

Slade took over the kicking duties and slotted a penalty goals in the 27th and 36th minutes to close within four points before Foley nailed his fifth from 42m to head into the sheds with a 20-13 lead.

Momentum stayed with the visitors when former Waratah Nemani Nadolo was awarded a controversial try three minutes in.

Replays appeared to show Nadolo's foot grazed the touchline after a cover tackle from Beale, but TMO George Ayoub awarded the try.

Slade nailed the sideline conversion to level things up at 20-all and gave the Crusaders their first lead with his third penalty goal in the 49th minute.

Foley levelled things up five minutes later from 38m but Slade answered to make it 26-23 in the 57th.

A strong run from Hooper wrestled back the momentum for the hosts and Ashley-Cooper scored his second try to reclaim the lead 17 minutes from full-time.

Beale again threw the final pass as Ashley-Cooper stepped one defender and palmed another before diving over for his second try.